Re: Tactical Solutions AR upper
I have 2 dedicated 22 uppers, a Tac-Sol LT, and a Ciener Conversion, similat to what Spikes is using, but it not a Spikes.
Spikes uses a Ciener design, but they chrome plate it, which should help a lot. On a dedicated Ciener upper, the chamber adapter is machined off, leaving a sleeve, which fits over top of the barrel extension, and aligns the bolt assembly with the barrel. This is a dedicated conversion done for me by a friend using a Ciener kit:
This is a 20" A2 upper, patterened after a National Match upper, complete with full floating handguards, NM rear sight, etc. We used a used Anchutz barrel (doing it again, I would have used a new barrel) Its accurate- -shoots 9's and 10's from 50' slinged up prone with the right ammo. It has a jamb every 50 shots or so, but its still breaking in. The rails are quite rough. Spikes plated rails and bolt would probably help with this a lot.
This is the bolt from my Tac-Sol LT. As you can see, it doesn't us the sleeve and barrel extension that the Ciener uses. There are notches in the barrel extension that the rails fit into, which center the bolt. The bolt is made of stainless steel.
My Tac-sol is from the first production run. The one with issues- -I had all kinds of jambing problems, some self inflicted. After about 200 to 300 rounds, reliability steadily improved, to where now it shoots like a sewing machine.
Things I learned:
1) Use plated bullets, or lead bullets with no lube. 22 uppers are dirty, bullet lube attracts dirt, dirty bullets = jambs. Federal Bulk Pack from Walmart cycles well- -accuracy, not so much. (or worked, my local store has been out for 4 months)
2) Tac-sol's <span style="text-decoration: line-through">chrome</span> (edited) Stainless steel bolt- -lube very little. Everything I had read on 22 uppers said run with a "wet bolt". Found out that lube attracts powder residue, which = jambs. I run my Tac-Sol bolt essentially dry.
3) There is a "break-in" period, where everything gets polished up. Don't expect them to work 100% out of the box. Keep shooting, it will improve. Knowing how to quickly clear a jamb is a good thing!
4) Regular old GI trigger works great. Some match triggers don't work as well, or at all with 22 uppers.
5) Ammo again... some works some don't. Find what works. SK Standard Plus shoots into 1-1/2" at 100 yards off the bench...for 5 shots, then it jambs every other shot. (heavt bullet lube)
22 uppers are addictive, FUN and cheap to shoot!
Edited to add: I got my Tac-Sol LT upper at
GunKings.com
The LT upper I have is very light - Its a thin stainless(?) barrel inside a 3/4" diameter aluminum sleeve. My 8 year old daughter can shoot it. The M4 Tac-Sol upper uses a Mike Rock barrel.
